Nottinghamshire’s batsmen dominated the opening day of their two-day friendly against Northamptonshire at Trent Bridge.
Greg Smith, Steven Mullaney, Samit Patel and James Taylor were all able to retire from the crease after passing fifty, as Notts reached 312-1 from their 60 over allocation.
Smith and Mullaney batted throughout the morning session, with Patel and Taylor impressing after lunch before late cameos from Brett Hutton and Matthew Carter lifted the total above 300.
Northants were only able to bat for 10.1 overs before deteriorating light turned into a steady downpour, with the visitors total standing on 42-1 at the close.
As Trent Bridge welcomed its first cricket of 2015, the Nottinghamshire openers were quickly into their work during a bright and breezy morning.
The only serious alarm came in the 8th over when Mullaney edged Mohammed Azharullah to third slip but Kyle Coetzer put down the sharp chance.
Otherwise, it proved to be a fairly trouble free session as both batsmen made the most of a short boundary on the New Stand side of the ground. Smith effortlessly pulled Steven Crook over the ropes before inflicting the same punishment on Ben Sanderson.
Wayward or short deliveries were ruthlessly punished as the opening duo matched each other shot for shot and pressed their claims for a starting berth when the LV= County Championship season begins.
The opening hour produced 74 runs from 15 overs and it wasn’t long afterwards before both players were raising their bats for 50. Smith reached his in the 25th over in 71 balls with seven fours and two sixes, and his partner followed one over later in 80 balls with six fours.
Lunch was taken with Notts on 128 without loss, at which point Smith was retired on 69 and Mullaney was retired on 58.
James Taylor and Will Gidman replaced them at the crease and both got off the mark first ball. Taylor clipped the spin of Joe Ellis-Grewal through midwicket for three and Gidman thumped the next ball straight back past the bowler for 4.
Gidman had moved to 16 when he nicked Sanderson behind to keeper Ben Duckett, but the impetus wasn’t lost as Samit Patel eased his first scoring shot over extra cover for an effortless maximum.
Patel, off the back of his two centuries on the Barbados tour, sped to 52 in 39 balls with eight fours and two sixes before joining the list of retirees
Taylor became the fourth to make a half-century in the cold, blustery conditions, doing so from 52 balls with seven fours. He batted on for a couple of overs before retiring on 60.
Matthew Carter was dropped early in his innings, a routine chance to Saif Zaib at mid-on – but then muscled his way to 29 not out as he and Brett Hutton, who made 24 not out, added 51 together.
In fading light Northants began their reply with Coetzer and Alex Wakely testing themselves against Jake Ball and Hutton.
They put on 31 for the first wicket before Coetzer, on 19, was squared up a touch by Hutton and a leading edge flew to mid off, where Matthew Carter leapt to take the catch.
Wakely, who scored 19 not out, was joined by Rob Newton but they were soon forced to head back to the pavilion as the conditions prevented any further play.
Northants are scheduled to bat for the first 60 overs on the second day of the match when play is scheduled to get underway at 10.30am with free entry to Trent Bridge for all spectators.
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